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Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Bear's story: How #HillsPet gave this pup a second chance at life

How many dogs have we heard of are so heavy that the owners can no longer take care of them? Perhaps Obie the Dachshund is the most famous -- a dachshund so overweight that his stomach dragged across the ground.

Then there's Dodger, a beagle who was surrendered by his owners to Orange County Animal Services in Orlando. Nine years old and very overweight. He was adopted by a nice couple, fortunately, who will put him on a diet.

How does being overweight affect a pet? Much the same way it affects a human.

Too much weight becomes taxing on joints and organs.

Because it takes so much to move, pets may have extra trouble handling the heat, or breathing.

This makes it tougher to stay active.

These problems only get worse as they get older.

But how does having an overweight dog affect you?

Can you play with a pet who can barely move and gets winded easily? Not really.

You may find yourself taking extra time with them when they need to use the bathroom, or they need a bath.

Definitely more vet bills.

In some cases, you may find yourself over your head, like the original owners of Obie did. How many overweight dogs and overweight cats ended up in shelters because their owners couldn't afford to care for them?

Or worse.

Take a moment and watch this story. Bear, a dog up in Indiana, weighed 142 pounds and his family almost had him euthanized because he was so heavy he couldn't walk.

Hill's says the food works by essentially changing an animals metabolism so it acts more like that of a lean animal. In other words, it revs things up so that the pet can burn more calories, while also regulating their appetite.

And even after your pet comes off the food, that change in metabolism remains.

In Bear's case, he went from weighing 142 pounds to weighing 92 pounds. His owner said it was like gaining a friend, because he had more energy and felt better.

I think Romeo's case was the most amazing. He's a nine-year-old Labrador retriever, and he weighed almost 180 pounds at the start of his diet. He was being cared for at the Cambridge Vets Wellness Team in New Zealand.

At the end of 75 days, Romeo was down to nearly 160 pounds, and definitely looked like a happier dog. Now the family says he has too much energy!

The hospital said Suzie had to have her harness re-adjusted twice so far, and they are not yet at her ideal weight.
As always, talk to your vet about the best way to help them lose weight. And talk to them about Hill's Prescription Diet Metabolic Food.

Pet your pet: As you run your hand across their side, you should be able to just feel the ribs without a lot of fat.

Get a bird's eye view: Look from above. The area between the ribs and the pelvis should have a nice curve inward. The chest should be wider than their flank.

Check for breath: How is your dog breathing when they walk or play? Are they panting a lot. If they didn't before, they may be dealing with a little extra weight.

This post is sponsored by Hill’s. I am being compensated for helping
spread the word about Hill’s Prescription Diet Metabolic Food, but Life With Beagle only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers.
Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. is not responsible for the content of this
article.

2 comments
:

Wow these dogs were certainly either being killed with what their owners thought was kindness or the owners were just plain ignorant and lazy. Its great to see they were guided into the right hands that were educated and aware that these dogs needed help. I have a 2 yr old black labrador and made a rule with my family that I am the only person that feeds him. In that way there is no doubling up on meals.